Volumeter



March 20, 1945. D. c. HOLMES ET AL IVOLUMETER Filed July ll, 1942 2 sheets-sheet 1 D.'c. HOLMES EIAL March 20, I945.

VOLUMETER Filed July 11 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 20, 1945 VOLUMETEB.

Donald CrHolmes; Blawnox, and'Lloyd V. Guild, Pittsburgh, Pa.-, assignors to Burrell Technical Supply Company, Pit

of Pennsylvania tsburgh, Pa., a corporation Application July 11, 1942, Serial No. 450,580 5 Claims. (01. 73 194) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in volumeters for measurement of gases, and it is among the objects thereof to provide a volumeter capable of maintaining substantially constant pressure.

' In volumeters heretofore proposed, there is a common defect in their application to gas analysis problems involving small flows in that the progressive change of gas pressure during the cycle of operation results in sudden changes rate of gas flow. I The changefin gas pressure is very objectionin the able in certain applications and it is a 'primary object of this invention to provide a volumeter in which the operating pressure and consequently the rate of gas flow will be substantially constant.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a, volumeter employing .a liquid seal which.

embodies'a discharge chamber having a measuringmchamber disposed therein-with its bottom open andin communication with thejdischarge' chamber, and with the discharge chamber of such area relative to the area of the measuring chamber that the displacement of the sealing liq uid from the measuring chamber will produce a minor change in the level of the sealing liquid of the discharge chamber. v

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a volumeter employing a bubbler tube disposed within the measuring chamber. It is a further object of the invention t provide a volumeter having a U-tube establishing communication with the upper end of the measuring chamber and the dischargechamber, and it is a further object of the invention to so locate the bubbler tube with respect to the bight of the U-tube that the'liquid level in the measuring chamber will be just below the bubbler'outlet when thecperation isabout to occur.

Theseand other objects of the invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings constituting a part ings, the structure therein illustrated comprises a'glass container 1 having a gas inlet 2 and gas outlet 3 also a connection 4 atthe bottom thereof fora source of sealin'gfluidg The housing I may be referred to as a discharge chamber, 5 ameasuring' chamber having its upperportion connected at 6. to one leg of a U-tube "l; the measuringchamber being integrally-joined with a bubbler tube 8 that extends into the measuring chamber 5 a--distance-corresponding to the bight 9 f the U-tube.

As shown in Fig. 7, the connection 4 communicates with a bellows Ill having an adjusting screw l I and when the bellows and'its connected tubing are full of water and the discharge chamber of the housing l'is partially filled with a sealing liquid, the Water level in the discharge chamber '1 may be regulated by turning the adjusting screw ll. v

In the structure shown in Fig. 4, the measuring chamber with its connected U-tube I is integrally formed with the bubbler tube 8 that ex tends through the top wall I2 of a housing IS, the 'gasfinlet connection is at I4 and the discharge outlet at i5. In the several figures of the drawings numeral I6 designates an electrode, as

does the numeral 11. Numeral l8 designates a normal level of the sealing liquid and the dotted hereof in which like reference characters designate like parts andin which:

l is a vertical cross-sectional view 'ofa volumeter embodying the principles of this invention taken along the line |-I, Fig. '2; i

Fig. 2 a top plan view thereof; "Fig. 3 a horizontal section taken along the line 3--3,Fig.-l;' Fig. 4a vertical cross-sectional fied form of the device; "Fig. 5 a diagrammatic modification of the volumeter;

Fig. 6 a similar view showing the volumeter in.- cluding asealed container; and

"Fig. 7 a diagrammatic view illustrating the use of an'adjustable means for varying the, liquid level of the volumeter. I

With reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawline I9 the measuring level of the liquid, resulting from the displacement of theliquid from the measuring chamber 5. Electrodes I6 and I! are connected in an electrical circuit, not shown, for

energizing a recording device that will indicate the successive cycles of operation of the volu- I meter; The numeral of Fig. 4 designates the level ofv the sealing liquid in the measuring chamber 5.

' .In thernodification shown in Fig. 5; anjextr'a tube 2| is provided for theelectrode I1 and a permanent electrode 22 may be supplied through the base" of'the'container l3 in place of the electrode- I6.

In the structure shown in Fig. 6, a container 23 constituting the discharge chamber for containing the sealing liquid is provided with a neck 24 having a threaded surface 25 for receiving a screw cap 26: a sealing gasket 2'! may be interposed by the cap and the container 23. A bubbler view oiamodi- 'ewfl of still another tube 18 extends through the cover 26 as does the compared to the measuring chambers, so that such displacement of the sealing liquid from the measuring chamber as takesplace from the pressure of the gas passing through the measuring chamber will vary the level of the sealing liquid in-the discharge chamberbut slightly. i

The operation of the above-described volumeter is briefly as follows:

Referring to the device shown in Fig. 4 as typical, it will be noted that the end of the bubbler tube 8 extends below the bight "9 of the U-tube I.

As appears from Fig. 4, the liquid level 20 is the minimum possible level in the measuring chamber because that level corresponds to the bight of the U-tube 1. Consequently, the end of the bubbler tube 8 will always be below the level 20.

Before any gas passes through the apparatus, the pressure in the bubbler tube 8 must be greater than the hydrostatic head from the normalwater level 18 to the lower extremity of the bubbler tube. As the gas bubbles into the measuring chamber, the liquid is displaced from the bottom of the measuring chamber into the discharge chamber and will reach the level 19 to contact electrode I! just as the liquid level in .the measuring chamber is in line with the bight 9 of the U-tube. When the liquid level of the .measuring chamber 5 is just 'below the bight 9, the gas pressure will be sufiicient to force the liquid from the U-tube 1, thus breaking the liquid seal and allowing a measured volume of gas to discharge into chamber 5. Thereafter the =U-tube will immediately fill with the liquid from the discharge chamber :forcing the :gas out of -U-tube to restore the normal level of theliquid in the measuring chamber Band level [9 of the discharge chamber will drop to the level 1.8., thus breaking the contact with terminal i 1 to complete the cycle.

The contact .made through terminal 11 regis ters the given volume of the gas that has passed through the volumeter which corresponds to a predetermined constant volume of adiquid displaced in the measuring chamber.

The extension of the bubbler tube below the big-ht'of the U-tube functions as .follows: xA the pressure in the measuring chamber :5 :increases and :displaces water into the discharge chamber, the pressure drop between the bottom of the tube -8 and the water .level '20 decreases by an equal amount. =Consequently, the total pressure in the bubblenltube .8 remains constant throughout the operating cycle except :for the change in the water level 4.8 to position 19 caused by displacement of thewa-ter from the measuring chamber to the discharge chamber. By making the diameter of the discharge chamber larger as compared with that of the measuring chamber, the device may be made to operate at substantially constant inletpressure throughout its cycle.

Where the lower extremity of the bubbler tube is on .the same level as the bight 9 of the u -tube, as shown in .Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 7, slightly larger variations in operating pressures will occur. The change in operating pressure due to rising water level in .thedischarge chamber is thesame inboth cases and can be made as small as desired by making the discharge chamber .1 larger in proportion to the measuring chamber.

'Althoughseveral embodiments of the invention have beenhereinillustrated and described, it will be evident to .thoseskilled in thear't that various modifications may .be made in the detail of construction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

We claim:

1. A'volumeter comprising a housing constituting a discharge chamber, said housing having a 4 sealing liquid and having a gas inlet passage and a gas outlet passage, a measuring chamber disposed therein closed at one end and open at the other end to the discharge chamber, said measuring chamber -having a U-tube communicating "from the top of the measuring chamber through a wall thereof to the discharge chamber, the end of the U-tube terminating below the level of the liquid in the discharge chamber, a bubbler tube extending into said measuring chamber at least a distance level with the bight of the U-tube communicating with said inlet passage, a pair of electrodes for registering the displacement of the liquid from the measuring chamber in response to gas pressure developing in the measuring chamber, one of said electrodes extending to below the ioightv of U-tube and the other of said electrodes being above the bight of the U-tube whereby, the last-named electrode will .be contacted by a rise of the sealing liquid in the discharge chamber.

2. A volumeter comprising a housing constituting adischarge chamber having a sealing liquid inc measuring chamber, .said housing having. a gas inlet passage and a gas outlet passage, a measuring chamber disposed therein communicating at one end with the inlet ,passage and-open at the other end to the discharge chamber, said measuring chamber having a U-tube communicating from the top of the measurin chamber through .a wall thereof to the discharge chamber the end of the U-tube terminating belowthe level of the liquid .in the discharge chamber, abubbler tube extending into said measuring chamber at least a distance below the night of the U-tube communicating withsaid inlet passage, .a pair of electrodes forregistering the displacement of the liquid in said measuring chamber in response .to :gas pressure developing inthe measuring chamber, one of said electrodes extending to below the bight of the U-tube and the other of said electrodes being above the lbight of the U-tube whereby the last-named electrode will be contacted'by a rise of the sealing liquid in the dis- Charge chamber.

(3. A volumeter comprising a'housing for asealing liquid constituting a discharge chamber, a measuring chamber-disposed within the discharge chamber in the .form of an inverted bell having an open bottom and a closed top, a gas outlet passage for the discharge chamber, and a gas inlet passage for themeasuring chamber, a bubbler ltube communicating with said .inlet passage in saidmeasuring chamber, a U-tube communicating with the top of the measuring chamber and having one leg extending below the liquid level in the discharge chamber, .saidbubbler tube terminating at the level of the bight of the U-tube, an electrode extending into said discharge cham- 'ber above the normal level of the sealing liquid and an electrode extending through a closed passage from a wall of the discharge chamber housing through the top of the measuring chamber.

4. A volumeter as described .in claim 1 having a fluid supply passage connecting the discharge chamber to a source of sealing liquid, and ad- 'jus'table means for delivering the sealing liquid to vary the level .of the liquid in said discharge chamber.

5. A volumeter .as set forth in claim 3 characterized by the sealing liquid housing having a movable wall toperm'i't insertion of the measuring ohamber'therein.

DONALD C. HOLMES.- LLOYD V. GUILD, 

